


People I had known once before

by Fauna96



Category: Bartimaeus - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: Gen, One Shot Collection, about people bart cares about during centuries, actually a lot, you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 03:44:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13849398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fauna96/pseuds/Fauna96
Summary: During more than five thousand of years, you meet a lot of people, both humans and spirits. Most of them are idiots that aren't worthwhile telling about, but, sometime, there are exceptions._About pinecones, fame and truth [Gilgamesh]





	People I had known once before

_The last time_ I _used that strong wind/disembodied_

_howling gag was to distract the giant Humbaba_

_up in the pine forests so that my master Gilgamesh_

_could creep up from behind and slay him. We’re talking_

_2600 BC here. And it only worked_ then _because_

_Humbaba was a few pinecones short of a fir tree._

_Somewhere in Mesopotamia, 2600 BC_

\- I can’t believe it – the fair youth scratched his head observing the big flabby body laid down in front of his feet.

\- Were you doubting me, Bartimaeus? – Gilgamesh glanced towards me under his thick eyebrows.

\- No, it’s not that – I fixed the spears on my shoulder – The thing that amazes me is that he’s fallen for the stupid howling trick! Come on! Even a dummy imp would have noticed, for Marduk’s sake!-

Gilgamesh burst into one of his thundering laughters. – You were certainly overrating old Humbaba, my good djinni. I’ve told you it would be enough to distract him –

\- Bah, I just hope the rumour I’ve used that sordid little trick won’t spread out: I’ve a reputation to maintain, me –

Gilgamesh laughed again and headed towards the path bringing in the heart of the forest. I followed him, spears jingling on my shoulders.

At the time, Gilgamesh was still young and his name was little known, therefore he had gotten in his head the idea of going around the world, slaying anyone that could annoy him and, while doing that, acquiring glory and fame. [[1](%E2%80%9C#note1%E2%80%9D)] I was around the Earth for a relatively little time too and I was intrigued by it; moreover, it was nice moving often, it made me forget the pain and the homesickness.

For the night I lighted a pinecones bonfire [[2](%E2%80%9C#note2%E2%80%9D)] and sprawled out comfortably on my back looking at the stars, taking advantage of my master’s unusual lack of loquacity. [[3](%E2%80%9C#note3%E2%80%9D)] Actually, it was odd that he kept quiet for long, especially because we were around a bonfire and bonfires always tickled Gilgamesh’s desire for stories, above all if he was the one telling them. Instead, at the moment, he stayed frowning, staring at the wood that was carbonising together with his dinner.

Ok, that was decisively alarming: perish the thought Gilgamesh would have left burning his food, so I took the spit from the fire and waved it in front of his nose. – Won’t you eat? –

Gilgamesh sighed, shaking himself from the trance. – I was thinking, Bartimaeus.

\- Incredible – I commented – I understand the activity might prove to be unknown and so make you lose your appetite… -

Gilgamesh threw at me a glance that would have petrified three Humbabas. I replied with a sneer. – I was thinking, my insolent djinni, about what you said earlier. About spreading voices – he added as a response to my risen eyebrow – and about how it’s easy make yourself known… but never in the way you wish, but rather in the way others describe you –

\- And where’s the problem, as long as it’s an advantage for us? –

Gilgamesh shrugged. – I don’t know… that maybe I won’t be remembered as I wish. That maybe I will be just an idiot who killed giants for hobby? –

I sniggered. – But you _are_ just an idiot who kills giants for hobby –

A moment of silence followed.

\- What about you? How would you like to be remembered, Bartimaeus? –

I laughed incredulous. – Do you think I care about such human thing? When I’ll be back to the Other Place, it won’t make a difference that I served a king or a magician from a fair –

With my surprise, Gilgamesh’s frown [[4](%E2%80%9C#note4%E2%80%9D)] melted in a smile. – You’re a big liar, Bartimaeus. There’s nothing you worry more about than your reputation between other spirits –

\- Well, you don’t want they’d compare me to a imp, do you? Or to any being downwards the food chain. I am a respectable djinni, if you allow me. It’s a… matter of principle – and the young Sumerian nodded vigorously. – In the end, I don’t care a lot if you order me to build walls or cook your dinner -.

Maybe because of the fire dancing shadows, but I couldn’t see clearly Gilgamesh’s expression; it seemed amused, but with a hint of sadness and something else I couldn’t define well… but probably it was just a game of light and shadows, because an instant later he was devouring his meat and babbling: - Say, have I ever told you about the scuffle where my nose was broken? 

**Author's Note:**

> 1Don’t be scandalised: at the time when there weren’t Internet and gossip magazines, that was the fastest method to have fans. [ [return to text](%E2%80%9C#return1%E2%80%9D) ]
> 
> 2We were literally surrounded by pinecones. Never seen so many in my life. Except the ones in humans’ head. [ [return to text](%E2%80%9C#return2%E2%80%9D) ]
> 
> 3Gilgamesh loved hearing the sound of his own voice, especially when he was a whippersnapper. Now, I don’t mind having a little chit-chat too, you know it, but listening for ten times the story of how he had broken his nose was a little heavy. [ [return to text](%E2%80%9C#return3%E2%80%9D) ]
> 
> 4The one he would be remembered for in the centuries to come. A shame for one who loved tavern funny stories. [ [return to text](%E2%80%9C#return4%E2%80%9D) ]


End file.
